Georgia Nicols' Aries Forecast for 2010

"The road to success is always under construction."

Anonymous

2010: A time of Testing for Civil Liberties

This year, three changes in the heavens portend a conflict in society. We're talking about Pluto, Uranus, and Saturn. Roughly at this time, all three are making a shift from one sign to another.

Pluto takes 250 years to go through all 12 signs. (Yikes!) Pluto represents the impulse to tear things down to make them better: refinish furniture, renovate a house, destroy a nation to rebuild it.

(Sidebar: I don't believe the planets are actually causal. How could they be? But it's easier to speak as if they are. To me, astrology is a patterning of knowledge, a language for us to "read." The planets simply yield information about what is happening: as above, so below.)

Pluto rules nations. And right now, for the first time in 250 years, Pluto is at the beginning of its journey though Capricorn, the sign that rules governments. The last time it was in Capricorn was from 1763 to 1778 when the American Revolution culminated in the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Now Pluto is back in Capricorn. Specifically, it returned in November 2008, when the election of the first black president of the United States stunned the world.

Uranus represents a "pushing boundaries" drive for freedom. The last time Pluto in Capricorn occurred at the same time as Uranus was in Aries, was 1760-1767. (That was when the battle that brought Canada under British rule happened.)

Meanwhile, here come de judge! Every 30 years, Saturn has a two-year stint in Libra. Saturn rules the courts, and Libra rules the law. The last time Saturn was in Libra was 1980-83, a time of economic recession and inflation.

So here we are.

Capricorn's desire for efficiency and order will encourage laws that restrict the freedom of the individual so that governments can efficiently deal with the masses. (Its impulse will be to install a computer chip with ID and a GPS in the heel of every newborn.) "Then we know who everyone is, and where they are!" Naturally, this flies in the face of Uranus' drive for individual freedom.

In the coming decade, struggles will ensue. Pluto in Capricorn will try to get everyone so tidily organized, we're rank-and-file. Meanwhile, revolutionary impulses will fight conservative values that threaten individual civil liberties, and Saturn in Libra will weigh the "fairness" of each case.

There is a move to world order.

(I'm going to clean my bedroom closet.)

Hello 2010!

This is a bellwether year. It's eventful because it marks a major shift for Aries. This year, you'll enter the world in a much more public and engaged way because you're moving from a relatively subdued position (where you've been for the last 16 years) to an "I'm in your face" position. Your focus and ambition are growing! You're bolder about going after what you want. Rememeber how you dismantled so much of your life in the mid-90s? (Groan.) Then you entered a new sandbox around 1996? However, since then, you've sort of been underground. To be sure, since 2005, you've busted your buns to prove what you could do. But this year the time has come to step up to the plate. You're going to say to the world, "Here I am! Count me in! I'm a player!"

Your Illustrious Job and Reputation

This year is a turning point. As cliched as it sounds, you're getting ready to take your powah! From this year onward, you will slowly climb to a career peak or a time of major culmination about eight years in the future. This is the beginning of your chance to walk your talk!

The unusual sojourn of your ruler Mars in your Fifth House (the longest it's been there since 1962-63) totally energizes your creative output. Ever the artisan, ready to try anything new with your hands, many of you will create and produce more than you ever have before!

This Mars effect is the boost you need to kick off your debut into the public world. However, Pluto is now in a place in your chart where it has never been before in your life. Depending on whether you're an early or late Aries, Pluto will trigger a huge change in your life direction in the next 12 years. This is unavoidable. It will allow some of you to take a hobby and turn it into a career. It will also make you ask yourself if you really believe in what you're doing.

Money - The Second Most Important Thing

There are mixed signals with wealth in 2010. In one way, many of you will earn good money because you've been working hard since 2007. (For the most part, when you work hard, you get financial and practical results.) On top of this, your creative energy is so hyped and you're so eager to try new things this, too, will lay the groundwork for future earnings, if not this year then certainly in the next 2-3 years. Big bucks!

However, professional partnerships and the support from others is shaky. This could diminish assets and holdings. You will increasingly have to rely on yourself. Not to worry - this only spurs you on to prove your ability and independence! Thoreau said, "I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself than be on a crowded velvet cushion."

Heartthrob Moments

I'm not going to sugarcoat things. You're entering a challenging time for partnerships and close friendships. The last time this occurred was around 1981-83. (For those who can relate.) This year and next, relationships that aren't cutting it will fizzle out. (Some things are more trouble than they're worth.) Partly, this is because you're becoming stronger and more ambitious, which means you're upsetting the status quo of the way these relationships have been. You're changing and this changes everything else! (Big oops.)

Nevertheless, relationships that are meant to endure will last. No question. However, they will undergo major readjustments this year and next.

The good news is this is a hot year for romance, sex, and playful stuff. Lots of possibilities are out there! (Could be this is the cause for a troubled relationship ending.) New relationships and romantic attachments that begin now will likely be with someone of an age difference. This new person could be older, or more established, or more experienced. (Nothing wrong with a new Mercedes in the picture, especially if you can't afford a garage. (Ah yes, the best labour-saving device is a rich partner!)

Home Suite Home

Because some of you are leaving partnerships, especially personal, intimate partnerships, this can affect where you live. If a long-standing partnership ends, this could force you to move, or downsize, or re-group. A domestic change might also take place because your career is shifting. Therefore, a residential move does not necessarily mean you're splitting up with your partner; it could be due to a career change in your future.

Furthermore, because Pluto is in Capricorn (it's never been there before in your lifetime), this will change the way others perceive you. Your public reputation is going to morph into something new and different! Definitely. Fear not, Pluto wants a superior result. However, Pluto insists you play fair. You must win your prize properly. Changes in your career and partnerships will likely bring about changes at home. These could be residential moves, or a change because your family dynamic shifts (especially with a parent), or you might just be involved in renovating and improving where you currently live. Pluto loves to redo the place! Fortunately, you can do anything with your hands.

Your Inner Wah

For most, the relationship with their inner self (call it spirituality or whatever) changes throughout their lifetime. Sometimes events focus your mind on your inner world and your intangible values. At other times, years can go by and you give this little thought. But this year is different. You'll experience a real learning curve in terms of getting in touch with your deeper values, and also getting in touch with the importance of kindness and compassion in your life. This could occur because you meet a teacher or a guide. (Or possibly, you'll play this role for others.) You might study metaphysics, or New Age philosophy, or a traditional religion. You'll seek this out because you feel something needs to be healed. Actually, this is the best opportunity you've had to explore this very meaningful part of your life since 1998. C.S. Lewis said, "Humans are amphibians - half spirit and half animal. As spirits they belong to the eternal world, but as animals they inhabit time."

My Aries Mantra for 2010

"The more I value myself, the easier my life gets."

Mercury Retrograde in 2010

These are poor times to buy cars, trucks, bikes, computers, printers and phones. Expect delays, lost items and confused communications! Best to finish things, not begin them. [Please note: the dates below are the actual dates of the direction that Mercury is moving (relative to planet Earth). However, Mercury slows down before it actually goes retrograde and, likewise, it takes a while to get back up to speed afterwards as well. Therefore, my warnings in my columns will always allow for these buffer times on either side of these dates.]

April 17 - May 11
Aug. 20 - Sept. 12
Dec. 10 - Dec. 29

Lucky Days for Aries in 2010

The days below are perfect times to go after what you want, whether it's a date, a major financial decision, or a job. Make note of these dates and use them to your advantage. These are the days when the gods are with you.

Jan. 20, 21, 22
Feb. 16, 17, 18
March 16, 17
April 12, 13, 14
May 9, 10, 11
June 6, 7
July 3, 4, 5, 31
Aug. 1, 27, 28
Sept. 23, 24
Oct. 20, 21, 22
Nov. 17, 18, 19
Dec. 14, 15, 16

Who Shares My Birthday?

March

21	Ronaldinho 1980
22	Elvis Stojko 1972
23	Jan Lisiecki 1995
24	Lawrence Ferlinghetti 1919
25	Danica Patrick 1982
26	Leonard Nimoy 1931
27	Jann Arden 1962
28	Karen Kain 1951
29	Eric Idle 1943
30	Eric Clapton 1945
31	Cesar Chávez 1927

April

1	Susan Boyle 1961
2	Christopher Meloni 1961
3	Cobie Smulders 1982
4	Evelyn Hart 1956
5	Agnetha Fältskog 1950
6	Paul Rudd 1969
7	Janis Ian 1951
8	Taylor Kitsch 1981
9	Kristen Stewart 1990
10	Sophie Ellis-Bextor 1979
11	Nazanin Afshin-Jam 1979
12	Ron MacLean 1960
13	Samuel Beckett 1906
14	Renee Fleming 1959
15	Seth Rogen 1982
16	Dusty Springfield 1939
17	Jennifer Garner 1972
18	Eric McCormack 1963
19	Hayden Christensen 1981